Then a little over a week later Doug Lancio and I are doing a string of duo dates through Texas (and even one in Durant, OK!). I’m putting together a very special show for both these events. I’ve been experimenting with some sounds and atmospheres. Trying to find my inner Van Morrison meets “Tom Eno”. Yes... Waits meets Eno.

Sometimes you gotta challenge yourself so you feel that lightning. Then it’s worth sharing. Don’t worry, the songs are still the songs. I’ll be drawing from all the records and probably sneak a cover in here and there. Above all, my hope is to bring some cool weather into every room we visit with... I’m excited about this. This is the first time Doug and I have done some duo shows together.

Makes plans and help us spread the word!

PS

Poster design by Joe Maiocco and thank you to Red11 Music for working so hard to put this together. And of course, thank you to the rooms and humans for having us!

So we're hopeful you'll come and see us next week. I'll have The Northern Wires with me next week. Just click the art below to see all details and ticket links for next week's shows.

And pssst... Texas we're planning a string of dates for you guys in Late September/Early October. Those will be duo shows. I always love stripping things down a little. These will be announced very soon. Please keep an eye out. I love playing for you guys and you know, I'll get to extend summer a little coming through your part of the world.

The version of Summer Never Ends that my friend Doug Lancio remixed, is now available on the Summer Never Ends EP. ‘Twas mastered by another good friend, Hans DeKline. And the artwork? Sir Joe Macho of Pittsburghshire of course.

The EP contains 6 different versions of Summer Never Ends: The Quiet Version, The Lancio Single Remix, The Instrumental Album Version, An Alternate Master we loved, The Quiet Instrumental Version, and The Acoustic Version.

It's available for FREE or "Pay What You Want".

Genuinely, don't feel you have to pay anything. It's meant as a gift. Check it out right HERE!

I wanted to invite you to take a minute and give it a good listen. I love how the air and tone of a song can change over time. In different rooms, via a different guitar or time of day.

And for the love of cinematic rock n roll, please listen on good speakers or headphones. Hahahaha. Even though this version is minimalist and unobstructed, it has a beautiful depth of field.

So... Why this "Quiet Version" of Summer Never Ends?

We wanted to celebrate (and help further announce) our upcoming European tour in July with The Gaslight Anthem. So I decided we'd release an EP of various explorations of one of my favorite songs off of Hustle Up Starlings.

That simple idea turned into a really beautiful experience.

The Quiet Version was recorded at home and will soon to be made available to you for free (or "Pay What You Want") via my Bandcamp page. Part of my intention with this was also a "Thank You" to all the generosity you friends and listeners have shown me over the last few years. And particularly in contributing to making the trip overseas with Gaslight easier. So genuinely, the EP is intended to be free for you. You don't have to pay anything. It's not expected. But I know some of you insist, so it's "Pay Wha You Want." And that's always, genuinely appreciated. The needs for financing music and all the efforts it always require income. Not to mention life itself. I know you understand.

So check out the upcoming dates. We can't wait to see and play for you guys. Not to mention hang out with some great friends that made one of my favorite albums of the mid/late 2000s (you know, The '59 Sound).

More details on the Summer Never Ends EP will be shared as this week gets under way!

It's a sprawling beauty. I can't wait for you to hear it. It's some of the most cinematic and emotional stuff I've been a part of. It's smart but instinctual, filmic in that it has a tone throughout. And thematically, there's a story being told - it has a beginning, middle and an end. But it's more impressionistic than a concept record, it's essentially following a love story through all the weather and the events that define that space between two people. And it even pans out a bit further... But it never loses sight of that thread between the "two" hearts it's exploring.

The album was mixed by one of my favorite engineers out there today, his name is Peter Katis. You're probably familiar with some of the beautiful work he's done with The National, Japandroids and Glen Hansard. I'm blown away by what Peter brought to what we created. Last Night We Became Swans is as much a sonic adventure as it is a lyrical or musical adventure.

You can pre-order the entire album right now via our Bandcamp Page right here:

We'll be sharing more singles as we get closer to release. It's always quite exciting and a bit daunting to launch a new idea into the world. We hope you'll take the time to welcome it, to get familiar with what this music is offering.

All three of us feel it's quite special. We hope you agree. The beautiful work depends on you these days...

It's been entirely too long! I'm playing some shows on your beautiful side of the country this week! I hope you can make it out. I'll be traveling with Rhett Miller of The Old 97s for these intimate shows. I'll be playing first and Rhett will follow.